The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-10
WHITES and BLACKS.
EMANCIPATION AND ITS EFFECTS
ON People OF BOTH RACEs.
Why Mineral Resources We're Not
Sooner Developed In
the South.
IsrKurAL 70 rHn APPIAL.l

VIZ nS"NlhB lhc GudboipatVu VI
the Southern Whites and its Effect
on Both Races" the Hon. John w.
Johnston, of Richmond, for many
years member OF the United States
Senate from Virginia, commences in
the Manufacturers Record of July
9th, an exceedingly interesting and
valuable article, that is sure to com
mand wide attention. All the world,
says Mr.. Johnston. knew that the
black man in the South was a slave,
but none recognized or were con
scious of the fast that the white
man was a slave also. 1t is true he
could not be borght and sold, nor
was he directly subject to the orders
OF a master, but nevertheless, he
was Q bondsmln, and the chains
that encountered him were as mex
orable as those that bound the color
cd race. The negro was a slave to
him, and he was slave to
the situation. He was charged
with being an indolent lover
Of pleasure, lacking in indus
try, energy and enterprise, following
year after year and generation after
generation the same old beaten track
with no apparent wish TO leave it and
no capacity TO do 80 if he wished.
He was reproached for persisting
long and tenaciously in one uniform
course; that he was blind to the vast
resources and capacities of the coun-
try he lived 10; that he was sur
rounded by mines OF wealth, and did
not care, or have the vigor to utilize
them, but never" says Mr.. John
ston, was there more mistaken idea,
and never was there a people so lit
tie understood or so much misiudped
as the Southern planter and farmer"
All over the civilized wor d, even
in the United States, with its unlim.
tied variety Of products, its public
lands and its institutions, which
open any life to any Of its citizens,
the problem is: "How to provide
employment for the laboring class
esp" Here business has been dis
turbed, loss and suffering incurred,
and society shaken by the strikes
which have become so frequent and
so widespread, so easily induced and
so hard to settle. The problem has
engaged the attention, most profound,
Of statesmen, social scientists and
governments in all European nations,
but no adequate remedy has yet been
found, nor a satisfactory answer TO
the question yet given. And the
same problem existed in the South.
ern States, though in a different
form from that prevailing elsewhere.
In New England farming was not a
profitable pursuit, because the lands
lacked fertility and the people OF that
section naturally turned to manu-
features. When business was de-
pressed and the market overstocked
the manufacturer was confronted
with the question OF what TO do with
those who had no work.
Exactly the same thing was going
on in the South, but not so noticably.
The negroes were the laboring class
there, aud work and employment had
TO be found for them. The condition
Of slavery itself kept them confined
to their homes. They were not free
to leave one employer and 20 TO an.
other, as the Northern and European
laborer was, but master and slave
were bound together-they were
coupled, and the engagement was a
strong one. What the Southern white
man had TO do was to see that his
laboring class had work, and had il
at home. He was restricted to one
class OF laborers and one locality.
and he was obliged TO conform his
business also TO the sort Of work his
men could do aud what was most
profitable.
Thus the persistence Of the South
erp man in adhering year alter year
TO the same course OF life did not
arise from incapacity TO engage sue.
cessfully in some other, but purely
from his surroundings. lie could
not abandon il without disastrous re-
suits TO himself, to the negro, to the
State and the world. II ever men
were impelled by an irresistible force,
il was the Southern white men.
What did il matter TO him IL the
earth beneath his feet was loaded
with all the minerals which contrib
ute 20 the wealth, convenience or en-
joyment OF manhood, or that the
stream running by his door hal water
power enough 10 turn a thousand
wheels2 He could not utilize them;
he was bound hand aud fUot-bound
TO his slaves, bound to his plantation,
bound TO cotton, 10 his habits OF life,
10 the exigencies Of the situation, to
the necessity Of providing for his
slaves, 80 many Of whom we're non
producers. There may have been
more ways than que elsewhere 10 an.
swer the question: How 10 find
work Tor the laboring classesi" aud
more latitude in solving il; but TO
him there was only one answer-la.
Dor In the field. lie saw no other
way, nor has the world seen any
other.
lNc CuulncIu plAutcI, says tue
writer, did his work we'll. lie had a
hard aud what would seem TO have
been an almost impossible task. lie
was brought into contact with a race
who, In their own country and in
their native condition, we're all saw.
ages, with scarcely rcdeemiug yir.
tue. Out OF such material he made
men, who became docile industrious,
kind and faithful; whose work re.
ducod a vast wilderness to a state Of
cultivation. The influence, control
aud teachings that did this must
have been judicious aud prudent; no
other course OF conduct could have
accomplished 40 much.
More than twenty years have
passed, writes Mr. Johnston, since
the negro was made free, aud that
period affords us some means Of
Judging the effect on both races.
This he rightly says Is a momcntous,
a vital matter 10 the American PEG.
pie, and one that IL bchooyes them
| a. IL ..sa alaaal.